Trump and Putin speak on call following U.S. pause of weapons shipments to Ukraine. Russia continues escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities.

A Ukrainian pilot was killed and his F-16 fighter jet crashed as after Russia launched a huge aerial assault involving hundreds of drones and scores of missiles overnight, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday.

The suspension includes air defense interceptors, and it will directly affect Ukraine’s ability to fend off escalating Russian air assaults.

The chat was the leaders’ second in a month and comes days after the U.S. paused deliveries of some defensive weapons to embattled Ukraine.

Putin tells Trump Russia will continue Ukraine war until achieving its goals, just two days after the U.S. halts some military aid to Ukraine.

By Dmitry Antonov MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Thursday that Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but will not step back from its original goals,

The Kremlin has repeatedly said arms shipments to Ukraine from allies prolong the conflict Moscow started and raise the risk of escalation. The U.S. confirmed this week it had paused supplying some arms to fight Russian aggression.

For months the talk in Kyiv was of a much-anticipated Russian offensive that would aim to gobble up more of Ukraine’s eastern regions. So far, it’s been underwhelming – but the Russians have made some gains and vastly reinforced their troop numbers in some areas.